Time-series trend analysis of meditation intervention research: Focusing on keyword networks

A keyword network analysis of 1,442 meditation intervention studies published in Korean journals between 2016 and 2025 revealed 'Mindfulness' as the dominant core concept. Mental health keywords such as 'Depression,' 'Stress,' and 'Anxiety' were key application areas. The analysis showed a three-stage paradigm shift: from a traditional theory focus before COVID-19, to a clinical application transition during the pandemic (with surges in centrality of depression and stress), and finally to an integrated development phase after COVID-19 that balanced traditional theory with modern psychological mechanisms, as seen in the re-emergence of 'Vipassana' and consolidation of 'Self-Compassion'. The findings suggest meditation intervention research is maturing into an integrated structure responsive to external shocks.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically understand the knowledge structure and time-series changes in domestic meditation intervention research from 2016 to 2025. The main focus was to investigate research trend shifts and paradigm transitions before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Keyword Network Analysis (KNA) was performed on 1,442 domestic meditation intervention studies published in KCI-listed or candidate journals between 2016 and 2025. A co-occurrence frequency matrix was constructed using 196 core keywords as nodes, and the structural characteristics were identified through centrality analysis and clustering analysis (Louvain Community Detection). The overall network analysis confirmed that ‘Mindfulness’ served as the absolute core hub, dominating all centrality metrics 18. Mental health keywords such as ‘Depression,’ ‘Stress,’ and ‘Anxiety’ showed high centrality, establishing them as key application areas 19. The time-series analysis empirically demonstrated a clear three-stage paradigm shift: ‘Traditional Theory Focus’ (Pre-COVID) → ‘Clinical Application Transition’ (COVID Period) → ‘Integrated Development’ (Post-COVID) 2016-2019. During the transition period (2020-2023), the centrality of ‘Depression’ and ‘Stress’ surged, reflecting a focus on immediate clinical crisis response. The ‘Integrated Development’ period (2024-2025) showed a return to a balanced path, integrating traditional theory and modern psychological mechanisms through the re-emergence of ‘Vipassana’ and the consolidation of ‘Self-Compassion.’ This study suggests that meditation intervention research is maturing into an integrated developmental structure (‘Traditional Theory → Mindfulness → Self-Compassion → Mental Health Effects’) that is highly responsive to external shocks (COVID-19 pandemic). This solidifies the value of meditation as a scientifically validated alternative approach that possesses both academic depth and clinical utility in the context of the modern mental health crisis.